CruisingOz

Whoo, had my 1st needle yesterday and 2nd booked in June, so from July I will have my bags packed waiting for the announcement. 

Hope you get to visit Key West - great port with lots to do for the day!

I failed to mention in my previous post, we fly home from Key West so we don't have to drive back to Miami. Adding Key West to a cruise is enjoyable. We've done it several times. 

Hello RCB Community, time to dust off the suir=tcases is getting closer.
We are booked on a cruise out of Miami in February 13th 2022 on the Radiance for a 5 night  going to Key West. I had a price issue with my TA, so I looked at Royal's US site to compare to the Australian site and the itenarary is slightly different which I find ubnsusal? Although in saying this, it is Royal and their IT department seems to have afternoon drinks on occasions, LOL
The Australian site has Nassau, Bahamas and the US site has Key West, Florida. 
I don't really care as never to been either, and this leg for us is a recovery, relaxing cruise after a mind and body blowout on the Symphony
 
 

Embarking down under clears you of any possible PVSA violations.  Your ticket starts in a non-U.S. country so you are free to debark anywhere and the PVSA isn't involved.
Embarking in Hawaii and then staying on before eventually debarking somewhere in the U.S. is another matter.  That is a PVSA violation.
The trick is starting in Oz.

It is sad how the media are playing this. Saw a re-hash  all about the Ruby Princess, 28 people died, which is tragic, but the same media don't re-visit the Victorian state preventable outbreak that killed 828; crickets. I get so mad at the hypocrisy and I know in this forum I am speaking to the converted but why isn't CLIA on the front foot with funding from the big three here in Australia  and do a massive ad campaign and educate the masses.   

Whoo, had my 1st needle yesterday and 2nd booked in June, so from July I will have my bags packed waiting for the announcement. 

We are going on three B2Bs on Ovation in 2022, ending in Vancouver.  Appreciate all the tips!  Most menu rotations on crossings, for us, have been repeat of earlier days, but as mentioned, menu choice makes this palatable.  

The perk of Sydney is that, even if you have luggage, there's plenty to do in the area unlike many cruise ports that are in industrial areas. Even just sitting there watching the harbour traffic and ferries can kill a few hours easily. That is if you're not just in a hotel within walking distance, which many people are, in which you can either check out late or store luggage. 
I've never cruise out of Sydney, but I can't imagine there are many better places to originate from as far as convenience and ease...and views. 

So you're the one who turned me away!!!!  Don't you know I am a .... ?!?!?! 
Beautifilt city.  I'm looking forward to getting back there one day.  

Wow, twangstar, you really are the oracle of Royal.
It is embarrassing, I live near the port, having sailed out of it numerous times and worked there for a season, and never thought of taking photos. You really are amazing. I think it is my mission to come up with a topic that is new to you, Royal related; I dare say I may be scratching my head for a while.

As far as the board goes in Sydney, you are correct they send people away. We normally get there early and queue and the Intercruise staff all try to move us on and explain that you need to come back at your allotted time; which most people do. We never have, we tend to get them chatting and they leave us alone, and low and behold the barriers open and off we go. We have always done this. Now that we are D+ there were less questioning, but on one the cruises coincidently going to NZ on the Ovation we had a large family and friend group of 20 and my wife gathered them all up and in we all went through; many of whom were first timers. We simply ignore them and watch for when the terminal is empty and the managers start to gather and a minute or so late the flood gates open. 
Oh I am going to miss those mornings under the new rules  

Wow, twangstar, you really are the oracle of Royal.
It is embarrassing, I live near the port, having sailed out of it numerous times and worked there for a season, and never thought of taking photos. You really are amazing. I think it is my mission to come up with a topic that is new to you, Royal related; I dare say I may be scratching my head for a while.

Wow, twangstar, you really are the oracle of Royal.
It is embarrassing, I live near the port, having sailed out of it numerous times and worked there for a season, and never thought of taking photos. You really are amazing. I think it is my mission to come up with a topic that is new to you, Royal related; I dare say I may be scratching my head for a while.

Pre-pandemic boarding times were enforced in Sydney and they will turn people away regardless of CAS status.   The only priority queues I saw were for the Key and Star Class. 
The terminal doesn't have large waiting areas so the concept is too meter traffic flow so you never really stop moving once you are allowed inside at your time, you just move from station to station and then right onto the ship.  Expect guests to try boarding early so there will be a lot of people standing around but I have heard repeat cruises who know terminal staff have managed to get through.  I guess you can try, but be prepared to be turned away.

Off peak the area looks a little less chaotic.


As far as menus what will happen is repeating entrees but possibly in different combinations.  I learned this on a galley tour.  Each cruise can vary slightly so if they have an abundance of one protein they can print new menus that may offer a variation that reflects trends for that cruise.  For example less chicken consumed early in the cruise may yield more chicken based entrees toward the end of the cruise.   
On the other hand they could simply take a day two dinner menu and use it verbatim on day nine.  They may not cycle precisely in the same order but you may recognize a menu from earlier in the cruise.
For me it's never really been an issue because I often want to try more than one entree or main course selection so a repeating menu is an opportunity to try something different.
As cruising restarts you can preview MDR menus in the app to get an idea of what you might expect.
 
You can read about my 11 night New Zealand cruise in this thread:
https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/17870-standing-ovation-from-the-land-down-under-new-zealand-11-nights-feb-2-2020/
 

It is sad how the media are playing this. Saw a re-hash  all about the Ruby Princess, 28 people died, which is tragic, but the same media don't re-visit the Victorian state preventable outbreak that killed 828; crickets. I get so mad at the hypocrisy and I know in this forum I am speaking to the converted but why isn't CLIA on the front foot with funding from the big three here in Australia  and do a massive ad campaign and educate the masses.   

Whoo, had my 1st needle yesterday and 2nd booked in June, so from July I will have my bags packed waiting for the announcement. 

Whoo, had my 1st needle yesterday and 2nd booked in June, so from July I will have my bags packed waiting for the announcement. 

Whoo, had my 1st needle yesterday and 2nd booked in June, so from July I will have my bags packed waiting for the announcement. 

Love the Bionic Bar. We would make it our last stop late at night for a nightcap. It is generally really quiet then and so no waiting. My knock out drink oi sleep well, four shots of Hennessy  with a dash of ginger ale. It's great as I can hit the number of shots button without the bride knowing and no judgement from a bar tender. 
My question is how to get one of these at home for the ultimate man cave addition. 

Love the Bionic Bar. We would make it our last stop late at night for a nightcap. It is generally really quiet then and so no waiting. My knock out drink oi sleep well, four shots of Hennessy  with a dash of ginger ale. It's great as I can hit the number of shots button without the bride knowing and no judgement from a bar tender. 
My question is how to get one of these at home for the ultimate man cave addition. 

Hello RCB Community, we need your help.
After listening to Matt's podcast today we need to find a loving family who would love to adopt two wonderful people. We need to be adopted so we have a way of escaping fortress Australia and live in the wonderful USA, preferably Florida. We wouldn't take up too much room as most of the time will be spent on a cruise ship, starting with Adventure of the Seas, B2B2B2B2B. Willing to baby sit, garden and do dishes while at your beautiful home, happy to even simply pitch a tent in the backyard; whatever it takes so we can get ourselves onto a cruise ship. 
Matt, I recall from a past podcast when you had the water damage, you have an extra room, studio B, that will be fine. I am sure you and the family won't mind???
Please help some poor Aussie's to get back on a cruise ship ASAP.  

Hello RCB Community, we need your help.
After listening to Matt's podcast today we need to find a loving family who would love to adopt two wonderful people. We need to be adopted so we have a way of escaping fortress Australia and live in the wonderful USA, preferably Florida. We wouldn't take up too much room as most of the time will be spent on a cruise ship, starting with Adventure of the Seas, B2B2B2B2B. Willing to baby sit, garden and do dishes while at your beautiful home, happy to even simply pitch a tent in the backyard; whatever it takes so we can get ourselves onto a cruise ship. 
Matt, I recall from a past podcast when you had the water damage, you have an extra room, studio B, that will be fine. I am sure you and the family won't mind???
Please help some poor Aussie's to get back on a cruise ship ASAP.